Pharmacist FAQs

Q: What are the CE requirements for Clinical Pharmacist Practitioners (CPPs)?

A: CPPs must obtain 35 hours of “continuing education” per year. 21 NCAC 46.3101(d)(1). “Continuing education” is defined by the CPP rules as “courses or materials which have been approved for credit by the American Council on Pharmaceutical Education.” 21 NCAC 46.3101(a)(8).
The 15 hours (8 hours live) needed for renewal of a pharmacy license count toward this amount, so CPPs need an additional 20 hours of CE (live or correspondence) per year to maintain that credential.

Effective July 1, 2016, CPP rule changes went into effect transferring primary administrative authority over CPP credentialing and renewal to the Board of Pharmacy. CPP credentials are no longer renewed on a schedule keyed to the CPP’s birthday. CPP credential renewals are now renewed annually on the same schedule as all other licenses, permits, and registrations issued by the Board of Pharmacy – “[e]ach CPP shall register annually on or before December 31.” 21 NCAC 46.3101(c)(1).

Accordingly, as explained here -- http://www.ncbop.org/faqs/Pharmacist/AmendedCPPrules3101FAQ.pdf -- any pharmacist holding a CPP credential as of July 1, 2016 or who newly acquires a CPP credential between July 1, 2016 and December 31, 2016 shall be deemed to hold a current CPP credential through December 31, 2017.

All CPPs will be required to have obtained 35 hours of continuing education to renew in on or before December 31, 2017. There is no requirement that CPPs obtain some “pro-rated” additional amount of continuing education to account for the period of July 1, 2016 through December 31, 2016.